Language skills needed for social conversation purposes
English language learners (ELLs) employ BIC skills when they are on the playground, in the lunch room, on the school bus, at parties, playing sports and talking on the telephone.
The language required is not specialized.
These language skills usually develop within six months to two years after arrival in the U.S.
Age and Rate of Acquisition of Academic Language
*For students with literacy in their backgrounds Age on Arrival and Years Needed in School to acquire CALP:
A 5-7 year-old may take 5-8 years An 8-11 year-old may take 4-5 years
A student 12 and older may not catch up in five years
For students with no literacy in their background:
Academic English takes 9-13 years to develop to native speaker standards.
Examples of BICS
Listening: Follows general classroom directions Speaking: Converses easily about social situations with peers and teachers. May speak English without an accent. Reading: May decode reading material with ease, but may not comprehend what is read Writing: Can fill out school forms. Can find and copy the answers to questions in textbooks.s
CALP: Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency
Takes several years to develop
Formal academic language
Essential for students to succeed in school
Students need time and support to become proficient in academic areas (usually takes 5 to 7 years)
Cognitively demanding tasks will be difficult in both their home language and English, until CALP is developed.
This includes listening, speaking, reading, and writing about subject area content material.
includes skills such as comparing, classifying, synthesizing, evaluating, and inferring.
EXAMPLES OF CALP Listening: Can follow specific directions for a academic tasks. Understands discussion of academic material. Can distinguish main idea from supporting material. Speaking: Expresses reasons for opinions. Asks for clarification during academic tasks. Reading: Reads academic material with good comprehension. Writing: Can write an essay supporting a point of view.
BICS and CALP
BICS: Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills
Age and Rate of Acquisition of Academic Language
*For students with literacy in their backgrounds
Age on Arrival and Years Needed in School to acquire CALP:
A 5-7 year-old may take 5-8 years
An 8-11 year-old may take 4-5 years
A student 12 and older may not catch up in five years
For students with no literacy in their background:
Academic English takes 9-13 years to develop to native speaker standards.
Examples of BICS
Listening: Follows general classroom directions
Speaking: Converses easily about social situations with peers and teachers. May speak English without an accent.
Reading: May decode reading material with ease, but may not comprehend what is read
Writing: Can fill out school forms. Can find and copy the answers to questions in textbooks.s
CALP: Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency
EXAMPLES OF CALP
Listening: Can follow specific directions for a academic tasks. Understands discussion of academic material. Can distinguish main idea from supporting material.
Speaking: Expresses reasons for opinions. Asks for clarification during academic tasks.
Reading: Reads academic material with good comprehension.
Writing: Can write an essay supporting a point of view.